Manually operable cigarette making device

ABSTRACT

A manually operable device for making cigarettes. Loose tobacco is compressed into a rod, which can subsequently be stuffed into a cigarette tube. Positive and non-yielding linkage is provided not only for performing the tobacco compressing motion, with concentrated and properly directed power, but also for required return motion of the compression members, thereby avoiding trouble due to hanging up of compression members on accumulation of loose tobacco in the operating mechanism.

United States Patent `1191 I Kappeler et al. [45] July 17, 1973 [54]MANUALLY OPERABLE CIGARETTE 3,202,156 8/1965 Kappeler et al. l31/70MAKING DEVICE 3,127,900 4/964 2,731,971 l/l956 [75] lnventOrSr OttoKappeler; Rudolf Messner, both 3,124,141 3/1964 seiner 1311/711 ofTrossingen, Germany l [73] Assignee: EfKa-Werke Fritz Kiehn GmbH,

Przmary [Lxammer-Rohert W. Mrchell Tmhbmgen/Wurtt" Germany AssistantExaminer- John F. Pitrclli [22] Fled API- 19 1971 Attorney-Nolte andNolte App1. No.; 134,998

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-inpart of Ser. No. 824,529,May I4, 1969, abandoned.

Foreign Application Priority Data May 16, 1968 Germany P 17 57 504.1 May16, 1968 Germany P 17 57 503,0

, [52] U.S. Cl. 131/70, l3l/72 [5 l] lnt. Cl. A24c 05/42 [58] Field ofSearch 131/70, 75, 72

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,040 5/ 1902Hansen-Ellehammer 131/70 14 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTE] .Il l 7U73 muon FIG.4

INVENTORS OTTO KAPPELER RUDOLF MESSNER BY 77% 4f 77% FIG.5

AT TORNE YS Pmmwm ma SHEET 2 UF 4 /NvENTORs OTTO KA PPELER RUDOLFMESSNER BY 77% FIGS A T TORNE YS Pmmfnw 1w laglaufig g' mvE/vToRs oTroKAPPELER RUDOLF MESSA/ER FIGB ATTORNEYS MANUALLY OPERABLE CIGARETTEMAKING DEVICE This is a continuation-impart of application Ser. No.824,529, filed May 14, 1969 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND AND NATURE OF THE INVENTION Manual cigarette making deviceshave generally used slidingly reciprocable pressure plates, advancedinto tobacco compressing position by lever and cam action and retractedby spring action. The springs have not always been able to return thepressure plate with certainty, as shreds of tobacco are likely to becaught in the guides of the pressure plate, interfering with properreturn of this plate.

In other known devices, a pin, mounted on a tobacco plunger, was engagedin an angular slot, formed in an operating lever. In such cases theoperators finger, or part of his clothing, could be caught in the slot.Also, the mechanism was apt to jam or bend when the tobacco plunger waswithdrawn by an inexperienced operator.

It is the primary object of the present invention to overcome thedisadvantages of the prior art. It is a more specific object to providea cigarette making device wherein the tobacco compressing plate is movedboth forward and rearward by positive and nonyielding linkage, althoughpossibly with lost motion at certain points. All slotted levers andsimilar structures are to belocated in positions where there operationis safe and effective.

The mechanism according to the invention `also providesinstrumentalities, of conventional nature if desired, for stuffing thecigarette tube.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the linkage forcompression of the tobacco provides for lost motion between directacting and indirect acting levers, while providing positive,non-yielding return of these levers and of the tobacco compressingplate. In

' another preferred embodiment, even the lost motion is substantiallyavoided. Also, provision is made for varying the length of the tobaccorod to be stuffed into the tube, in order to provide for the making offilter-tip cigarettes, and of cigarettes having tobacco rods ofdifferent length.

DRAWINGS FIG. l is a perspective view of one preferred device accordingto the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device as seen after removal of an upperportion thereof.

FIG. 4 is a detailed plan view of a sector-shaped link, forming part ofthe linkage in this device.

FIG. 5 is a detailed plan view of a swivel lever forming part of thatlinkage.

FIG. 6 shows a modification of the swivel lever of FIG. 5. c

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the device.

FIG. 8 is a view generally similar to FIG. 3 but showing the use of aswivel lever construction as shown in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 7a, 8a and 8b are respectively: a side elevational viewcorresponding to FIG. 7 but showing a different position of the device;a plan view of the device in position for stuffing a filter typecigarette tube; and

a plan view of the device in position for stuffing a filterless tube.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF FIGS. l TO 5 A housing for thecigarette making device is provided, which has a lower and normallyhorizontal part l made for example of colored and opaque syntheticmaterial. The housing has an upper part 2 mountable on and parallel tothe lower part and made for example of clear colorless syntheticmaterial. In upper part 2 an aperture A is formed, on top, for theadmission of loose tobacco. In lower part 1 a slot 3 extendshorizontally between a lowermost portion lA and an upper portion 1B ofthis part, to allow the manual operation, which will now be described.

A shaft 4 extends vertically between lower and upper parts 1 and 2 and ahorizontal operating lever 5 is rigidly keyed to this shaft. The leverextends from shaft 4 through a considerable portion of the housing, andthen through slot 3, tothe outside for manual operation. The outer endof operating lever 5 has a handle 6 thereon, whereby the operator canswing lever 5 in either clockwise or counter clockwise direction. Withinthe housing a generally horizontal sector-:shaped link member or curvedpiece 7 is rigidly secured to the same rotatable shaft 4, between upperand lower housings l, 2.

The sector-shaped link 7, as best shown in FIG. 4, has a peripheral lip8 with a lateral tip 9 thereon, for engagement of an intermediate swivellever I0, best shown in FIG. 5. This intermediate swivel lever isentirely contained within housing l, 2. This swivel lever serves to movepressure plate ll, whereto it is also connected by a pin and slotlinkage including pin l2 on the plate and slot 13 in the swivel lever.In addition, projection 14 is formed on the swivel lever, opposite avertical surface 14a on compression plate 1l and normally in contactwith that surface.

Swivel lever l0 is pivoted in housing l, 2 on a vertical pin 38, andextends from that point in a direction approximately parallel to andlarger co-extensive with the normal or rest position of operating lever5, shown in FIG. 3. Thereby this swivel lever constitutes in effect afollower of the operating lever, entirely contained in the housing andcapable of motion, controlled by the operating lever and speciallyadapted to the control of the tobacco compressing plate.

To operate the device, as described up to this point, enough tobacco forone cigarette is introduced into slot A and thereby into the tobaccocompressing chamber P in front of pressure plate ll, for compressioninto a rod by means of this pressure plate. The operator grips handle 6of operating lever 5 which he normally finds in the rest position, shownin FIGS. l and 3. He rotates this lever in a clockwise direction, asshown in the drawing, and thereby rotates sector 7. The tip 9 on lip 8of thissector then presses against an opposite surface 30 on swivellever l0 and thereby urges the curved projection 14 of .that leveragainst surface 14a of pressure plate I l, thereby moving that plate tothe right as seen in FIG. 3 and compressing the tobacco in chamber P.The operator can then continue to turn the operating lever by handle 6in the original clockwise direction, thereby now actuating a cigarettestuffing mechanism, known by itself and which can be briefly describedhereinafter. In this operation, the operating handle reaches theapproximate position 6a in FIG. 1.

Thereafter the operator manually, in a counterclockwise motion, returnsthe handle from position 6a to the original withdrawn position d. lnthis process he positively and non-yieldingly returns pressure plate )ll to its original and withdrawn position in the housing, shown in FlG.3. ln this connection, it is to be noted that projection i4, alone,would not effect the return motion of the pressure plate, and thatsprings attached to that plate, in accordance with earlier practice,have been found to be inadequate because of the yielding character oftheir operation; also the use of springs greatly added to the operatingeffort, required in compressing the tobacco and thereby in turn added tothe needed strength of the needed parts and the cost of the entiredevice. ln the new device, a clockwise return motion of swivel lever lllis effected by the counter-clockwise return motion of the operatinglever and its sector link '7. This in tum effects the return motion ofthe pressure plate, by the pin and slot connection l2, i3. For thesepurposes, an additional slot and pin connection 26, 27 is provided insector and swivel lever lill, the slot 26 being advantageously formed inlip 8 as shown.

In order to minimize the extension of surfaces on which loose tobaccoparticles can accumulate, lip 8 is made of thin, although rigid,material and is arranged to have tip 9 overlie a thin and recessedportion 29 of swivel lever l0, adjacent projection l. The recess can bemade for example by a milling cutter. In this recess, pin 27 extendsvertically, which is engageable in slot 26 of flange 8 and can slide inthis slot. Incident to the return motion, one end 9-A of slot 26 engagespin 27 and thereby positively and non-yieldingly swings swivel lever l0in clockwise direction, which in turn leads to i leftward return ofpressure plate lll by pin and slot l2, 13.

Referring now briefly to the cigarette stuffing portion of the newdevice, which portion can be conventional: FlG. 3 shows the usualhorizontal drag lever 15, mounted between lower and upper parts ll-A,l-B of housing base il. This lever is disposed above operating lever 5,is loosely swingable about shaft d, and is disposed so that its entireswinging motion occurs inside housing l, 2. That motion begins at acertain point of the clockwise motion of operating lever 5, when asuitable pin lo on that lever engages one surface 11S-A of the draglever. On its free end the drag lever has an oblong slot 17', whichreceives a pin R8, secured to a guide, not shown, slidable in a guideslot )1Q-A formed in the housing. By this guide a tobacco plunger 119-Bis reciprocated in tobacco compression chamber P. At the end of thischamber a nipple 25 is attached to the housing. lt will be seen thatduring the motion of operating lever 5, before pin lo engages drag leversurface l5-A, tobacco is compressed in chamber P by the principallinkage described above. From then on, drag lever l5 moves withoperating lever 5 and in turn moves slide mechanism lib and tobaccoplunger lf3-B, expelling the compressed tobacco from chamber l throughnipple 115 into a cigarette tube which has been previously pushed overthis nipple.

There is still another pin and slot mechanism 20, 2l, provided betweensector 7 and drag lever l5. The drag lever can be rotated clockwise bydirect action of pin lo on operating lever l5, as noted above, andcounterclockwise by engagement of the pin and slot connection 2l), 2l,as will be obvious by inspection of FlG. 3. Both slots 2l and 26 havesuitable angular extension to allow the initial tobacco compressingoperation, followed by lost motion of pins 20 and 27 while thecompressed tobacco is expelled into the cigarette tube, and finallycausing positive return motion of pressure plate and tobacco plunger, asalready indicated.

lt will be seen that necessarily appreciable space is available behindpressure plate ll wherein loose tobacco can accumulate incident tooperation of the device. Even if substantial quantities of such tobaccoare accumulated in this space, the positive operation provided by thenew linkage safely overcomes any returnresisting forces caused byaccumulated tobacco. The problems of yielding return springs areovercome thereby.

THE EMBODIMENT OF FIGS. 6 TO 8 The modified embodiment resembles theform of FIG. 3 in that it dispenses with spring means for the return ofpressure plate ll from its forward position- It comprises a bifurcatelever 23, in lieu of swivel lever 10. A bracket 24 lever 23, in lieu ofswivel lever l0. A bracket 24 connects the two tines of the bifurcatelever, which have inner surfaces 23-A, 23-B tightly encompassing corners7-B, 7C of sector-shaped link 7-A, so that either clockwise orcounter-clockwise rotation of that piece about its shaft 4 causesbifurcate lever 23 to pivot about its point of support 38. Forwardrotation of this lever 23 pushes pressure plate 1l toward the right, byprojection i4, whereas return rotation of this lever entrains thepressure plate backwardly by pin and slot coupling 13.

FIG. 7 and 8a show a slide 40, on housing l, 2, providing a clamp andrelease mechanism for the cigarette tube pushed over nipple 2S. Adouble-ended lever 3l is pivoted to the outside of the housing, by asuitable shaft. As shown in FIGS. 7a and 8b lever 31 can be4 rockedalong the outside surface of the housing subject to friction againstthis surface, and particularly against the surface of a shallow recess34 therein. One end of double lever 3l has a milled handle 33 thereonand is movable between two positions, denoted respectively by theletters O and F. To make filter tip cigarettes T, as shown in FIG. 8a;handle 33 is moved to the F position, whereby the opposite end 32 oflever 3l swings away from engagement with nipple 25 and allows thecigarette tube to be mounted thereon and pushed inwardly into thehousing for insertion of a tobacco rod of corresponding length, whereina filter tip can be added later. To make cigarettes T' without filtertips, handle 33 is moved to the position wherein end 32 of lever 31 isbrought to bear against nipple 25. ln this position, only a shorterlength of the tube can be drawn over nipple 25, so that substantiallythe entire tube length is available for stuffing.

Finally, FIG. 8 shows means for adjusting the new ap` paratus forcigarette tubes of different lengths. The adjusting means comprises anoblong slot 35 in sector '7-A, and an adjustment screw 36 threadedlyreceived in operating lever 5 and aixed at predetermined locationrelative to slot 35. In this case, sector '7-A is otherwise loose onshaft 4. Screw 36 can be loosened and reset at different locations inslot 35, thereby changing the position of sector 7-A relative tooperating lever 5 and correspondingly changing the angularity betweensector 7-A and drag lever l5 and the corresponding motions of pressureplate il and drag lever l5. When sector 7a is fixed to shaft 4 in theposition shown in FIG. 8 in one case and with screw 36 fixed in slot 35farther to the left in another case, and when cigarette tubes C and T ofdifferent lengths are slipped over nipple 25 as shown in FlGS. 3 and 8a,respectively, adjustment mechanism 36, 35 through shaft 4 and lever 15a(FIG. 3) adjusts the lengths of the stroke of tobacco plunger 1% (whilealso slightly altering the compactness and firmness of the tobaccopressed by this plunger).

What is claimed is:

l. In a manually operable device for t'llling a tube with tobacco, whichdevice has a pressure plate mounted for sliding motion into a pressurechamber to compress tobacco into a column in that chamber, a swivellever pivoted about a. first axis and having a slidable surfaceengagement with a rear surface of the pressure plate for suchcompressing, a plunger mechanism for pushing the tobacco column from thepressure chamber into the tube, and a manual operating lever pivotedabout a second axis for controlling the swivel and the plungermechanism, the improvement of which comprises: non-yielding linkagebetween said swivel lever and said pressure plate, in addition to suchsurface engagement; a segment lever normally rigid and movable with saidoperating lever about said second axis and having slidable surfaceengagement with a surface of said swivel lever for pushing said swivellever, and thereby said pressure plate, on motion of said operatinglever in one direction about said second axis; and non-yielding meansconnecting said segment lever with said swivel lever, in addition to thesurface engagement therebetween, whereby, on movement of said operatinglever in opposite direction, said non-yielding linkage and nonyieldingconnection means withdraws said pressure plate from said tobaccocompressing chamber.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-yielding linkage between thepressure plate and the swivel lever comprises a pin on said plate and aslot in said lever.

Il. The device of claim l,wherein the nonyielding connection meansbetween the swivel lever and the segment lever comprises a pin on theswivel lever and a slot in the segment lever.

4. The device of claim l, wherein the plunger mechanisrn comprises adrag lever controlled by the operating lever, a pin on the plunger andslot on the drag lever, as well as a pin on the operating lever and asurface for sliding engagement of the pin on the drag lever.

5. The device of claim l, in which said nonyielding connection meansbetween said swivel lever and said segment lever comprises pin and slotmechanism providing for lost motion of the pin in the slot and providingfor non-yielding motion of the pin, with the segment lever, at one endof the slot.

6. The device of claim ll, wherein said segment lever has an arcuaterecess and a projection provided on said plunger mechanism engaging saidrecess.

7. The device of claim l, further including a nipple for mounting saidtube, a lever swingable on said device between a rst position engagingsaid nipple and a second position releasing said nipple, wherebypredetermined lengths of said tube can be mounted on said nipple.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said lever is frictionally l'leldagainst said device.

9. The device of claim l, wherein said swivel lever has means for saidslidable surface engagement with a pressure plate near the free end ot'the lever and wherein said non-yielding linkage engages said swivellever between said first axis and said free end, relatively close tosaid free end.

10. The device of claim l, wherein the non-yielding connection meansbetween said segment lever and said swivel lever includes a slotted partof the segment lever, thinner than the swivel lever and directly partlyoverlying the latter, and a pin on the swivel lever engaging the slottedelement.

ll. The device of claim l, wherein the non-yielding linkage between saidpressure plate and said swivel lever includes a slotted part of thatlever, thinner than said plate and directly partly overlying the mme,and a pin on said plate engaging said slotted part.

12. In a manually operable device for filling a tube with tobacco whichdevice includes a pressure plate mounted for sliding motion into apressure chamber to compress tobacco into a column in that chamber, aswivel lever pivoted about a first axis and having slidable engagementwith the rear oli said plate for such compressing, a plunger mechanismfor pushing the tobacco coiumn from the pressure chamber into the tube,a manual operating lever pivoted about a second axis for controllingsaid swivel lever and said plunger mechanism, a segment normally rigidwith and movable with said operating lever about said second axis formoving said swivel lever, and non-yielding linkage between said swivellever and said pressure plate for returning the plate by the lever,after said compressing, the improvement which comprises a non-yieldingconnection between said segment and swivel levers, including a bifurcateend of said swivel lever and a surface portion on said segment lever forultimate sliding engagement with the two forks of said bifurcate endwhereby rotation of the segment lever by the operating lever, ineitherdirection, non-yieldingly rotates the swivel lever for the control ofthe pressure plate.

13. The device of claim l2, wherein said bifurcate end of said swivellever partially encompasses the segment lever with substantially no lostmotion between them.

ll4. The device of claim i3, also including means for variably securingthe segment lever to the operating lever to provide differentangularities therebetween.

* if il! ill It:

1. In a manually operable device for filling a tube with tobacco, whichdevice has a pressure plate mounted for sliding motion into a pressurechamber to compress tobacco into a column in that chamber, a swivellever pivoted about a first axis and having a slidable surfaceengagement with a rear surface of the pressure plate for suchcompressing, a plunger mechanism for pushing the tobacco column from thepressure chamber into the tube, and a manual operating lever pivotedabout a second axis for controlling the swivel and the plungermechanism, the improvement of which comprises: non-yielding linkagebetween said swivel lever and said pressure plate, in addition to suchsurface engagement; a segMent lever normally rigid and movable with saidoperating lever about said second axis and having slidable surfaceengagement with a surface of said swivel lever for pushing said swivellever, and thereby said pressure plate, on motion of said operatinglever in one direction about said second axis; and non-yielding meansconnecting said segment lever with said swivel lever, in addition to thesurface engagement therebetween, whereby, on movement of said operatinglever in opposite direction, said non-yielding linkage and nonyieldingconnection means withdraws said pressure plate from said tobaccocompressing chamber.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-yieldinglinkage between the pressure plate and the swivel lever comprises a pinon said plate and a slot in said lever.
 3. The device of claim 1,wherein the nonyielding connection means between the swivel lever andthe segment lever comprises a pin on the swivel lever and a slot in thesegment lever.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the plunger mechanismcomprises a drag lever controlled by the operating lever, a pin on theplunger and slot on the drag lever, as well as a pin on the operatinglever and a surface for sliding engagement of the pin on the drag lever.5. The device of claim 1, in which said nonyielding connection meansbetween said swivel lever and said segment lever comprises pin and slotmechanism providing for lost motion of the pin in the slot and providingfor non-yielding motion of the pin, with the segment lever, at one endof the slot.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein said segment lever has anarcuate recess and a projection provided on said plunger mechanismengaging said recess.
 7. The device of claim 1, further including anipple for mounting said tube, a lever swingable on said device betweena first position engaging said nipple and a second position releasingsaid nipple, whereby predetermined lengths of said tube can be mountedon said nipple.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein said lever isfrictionally held against said device.
 9. The device of claim 1, whereinsaid swivel lever has means for said slidable surface engagement with apressure plate near the free end of the lever and wherein saidnon-yielding linkage engages said swivel lever between said first axisand said free end, relatively close to said free end.
 10. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the non-yielding connection means between said segmentlever and said swivel lever includes a slotted part of the segmentlever, thinner than the swivel lever and directly partly overlying thelatter, and a pin on the swivel lever engaging the slotted element. 11.The device of claim 1, wherein the non-yielding linkage between saidpressure plate and said swivel lever includes a slotted part of thatlever, thinner than said plate and directly partly overlying the same,and a pin on said plate engaging said slotted part.
 12. In a manuallyoperable device for filling a tube with tobacco which device includes apressure plate mounted for sliding motion into a pressure chamber tocompress tobacco into a column in that chamber, a swivel lever pivotedabout a first axis and having slidable engagement with the rear of saidplate for such compressing, a plunger mechanism for pushing the tobaccocolumn from the pressure chamber into the tube, a manual operating leverpivoted about a second axis for controlling said swivel lever and saidplunger mechanism, a segment normally rigid with and movable with saidoperating lever about said second axis for moving said swivel lever, andnon-yielding linkage between said swivel lever and said pressure platefor returning the plate by the lever, after said compressing, theimprovement which comprises a non-yielding connection between saidsegment and swivel levers, including a bifurcate end of said swivellever and a surface portion on said segment lever for ultimate slidingengagement with the two forks of said bifurcate end whereby rotation ofthe segment lever by the operating lever, in either direction,non-yieldingly rotates the swivel lever for the control of the pressureplate.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein said bifurcate end of saidswivel lever partially encompasses the segment lever with substantiallyno lost motion between them.
 14. The device of claim 13, also includingmeans for variably securing the segment lever to the operating lever toprovide different angularities therebetween.